A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor process recording apparatus and, more particularly, to a semiconductor process recording apparatus capable of preventing endpoint apparatus connected thereto from being burned out.
B. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional semiconductor process, when the circuit system in a endpoint apparatus inputs a signal to a conventional semiconductor process apparatus, the conventional semiconductor process apparatus generates and outputs a feedback signal with a high voltage level pulse to the circuit system of the endpoint apparatus. The feedback signal usually causes components, such as an emission board, of the circuit system of the endpoint apparatus burned out, resulting in the increase of the production cost for semiconductor manufacturing. Such a problem caused by the conventional semiconductor recording apparatus is described in detail as follows with reference to FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the conventional semiconductor process, such as a semiconductor process applied with decoupled plasma source (DPS) technology, an endpoint apparatus 10 outputs an endpoint signal SE to a conventional semiconductor process recording apparatus 11 connected thereto in order to appropriately record the working state of the endpoint apparatus 10 in current operation. In addition, the conventional semiconductor process recording apparatus 11 generates and outputs a feedback signal SF to the endpoint apparatus 10 in response to the received endpoint signal SE. Because the feedback signal SF thus generated typically has a high voltage level pulse, the feedback signal SF generally causes components of the endpoint apparatus 10 damaged. For example, an emission board of the endpoint apparatus 10 is burned out due to the feedback signal, resulting in that the whole endpoint apparatus 10 can not operate any more. Particularly to the process applied with decoupled plasma source technology, since it is necessary for the endpoint apparatus 10 to keep outputting power for a long time, that is, an RF module (not shown) must continuously operate, electronic devices in the emission board (not shown) keep serving as loading. As a result, the emission board of the endpoint apparatus 10 is more easily burned out by overheating due to the feedback signal SF generated from the conventional semiconductor process recording apparatus 11.
Therefore, in the semiconductor process using the conventional semiconductor process recording apparatus 11, it is inevitable to replace with a number of new endpoint apparatus in order to restore the proceeding of the semiconductor process, resulting in the increase of the production cost. Moreover, the period of time spent for usually replacing the endpoint apparatus 10 greatly reduces the production rate of semiconductor manufacturing.
In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional semiconductor process recording apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor process recording apparatus for blocking the feedback signal having a high voltage level pulse, thereby preventing the endpoint apparatus connected to the semiconductor process recording apparatus according to the present invention from being damaged.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a semiconductor process recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a buffer circuit and a endpoint recording device. In the present invention, the input terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to an external endpoint apparatus, for receiving a first signal output from the endpoint apparatus. The output terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to the endpoint recording device, for outputting a second signal representative of the first signal, in response to the first signal. For example, the buffer circuit may include a voltage follower and a resistor. When receiving the second signal, the endpoint recording device outputs a feedback signal to the buffer circuit on the basis of the second signal. Because the feedback signal is blocked by the buffer circuit, it is impossible for the feedback signal to be output to the external endpoint apparatus, thereby protecting the external endpoint apparatus from damage caused by the feedback signal.
The semiconductor process recording apparatus according to the present invention further includes an analog/digital converter connected between the buffer circuit and the endpoint recording device, for converting an analog signal from the buffer circuit into a digital signal to be output to the endpoint recording device.
As described above, the semiconductor process recording apparatus according to the present invention successfully protects the external endpoint apparatus from being damaged by the feedback signal having a high voltage level pulse, so it is not necessary for the process to be stopped for replacing new apparatus, thereby greatly reduce the production cost and rate of semiconductor manufacturing.